Section 2: Family Life
21 Appreciating Your Child
Although your child, regardless of age, has been diagnosed with ASD, the reality is they are the exact same person you’ve loved and known since the day they were born. You may feel stress or anxiety because they have been given this label but remember—this is still your child. The only real change is that you now have an explanation for their differences or difficulties.
Because your child was recently diagnosed, you may find that much of your time over the next few months will be spent seeking out more information about their diagnosis or finding the best services, treatments, and/or interventions. Those pursuits are important, but it is equally important to take time each day just to appreciate and engage with your child.
Take time every day to play games with, read to, talk to and interact with your child. The time does not need to be long—even a few minutes as a predictable part of the routine will count. Engage in activities (e.g., play chase or peek-a-boo, roll a ball back and forth, read a book, play video or board game). Make a special dessert. Go to places you both enjoy (e.g., favorite restaurant, park, zoo). Get to know your child’s interests and select activities that match those interests and those enjoyable to you as well.
Remember that although your child has an ASD diagnosis, they are first and foremost an individual who still wants to laugh, have fun, interact and achieve. Find ways to enjoy time together!
Enjoying Time with Your Child in Play
| My child likes to… | Suggested Toys | Suggested Activities |
| Listen to music/make sounds | Instruments, music box, keyboard, sound books, talking dolls, rain stick | Parade, singing songs, musical chairs, dancing |
| Bang on things | See n’ Say, drum, xylophone, workbench | Pounding clay, construction |
| Watch things spin | Spinning tops, yo-yo, pinwheel, helicopter | |
| Feel motion | Rocking horse, swing, slide, sit n’ spin, trampoline, biking
|
Dancing, chase games, rough-housing, follow-the leader
|
| Smell things | Scratch & sniff books, markers that smell, scented playdoh | Cooking, planting flowers
|
| Touch things | Playdoh, stuffed animals, bristle blocks, books with textures, koosh ball, finger paint | Water/sand play, make playdoh, cooking, landscaping
|
| Look at lights/color | Sand/rice/water table, Lite Brite, bubbles, electronic games, flashlights, mirrors, picture books, spin toys | Painting, dress up in front of the mirror, art books |
| Look at/play with letters/numbers
|
Computer, alphabet blocks, playdoh cutters, puzzles, telephone, books | Read signs, alphabet songs, art activities with numbers/ letters, paint by number, filing by letter/number |
| Play with mechanical things | Tinker toys, Lego, train tracks, Lincoln logs, cash register, toys with keys/locks | Chores (e.g. dust buster, vacuum), make models
|
| Line up, sort, arrange things | Dolls to put to bed, in car, Lego, trains and tracks, shape sorter, puzzles | Setting the table, sorting jobs, putting clothes away |
| Feel different temperatures | Playdoh (warmed or cooled), ice/heat packs | Water play (ice), cooking, washing toys/dishes |